diff --git a/xwords4/common/comms.c b/xwords4/common/comms.c
index 88ec31628..ea2420ff9 100644
--- a/xwords4/common/comms.c
+++ b/xwords4/common/comms.c
@@ -719,8 +719,9 @@ comms_getInitialAddr( CommsAddrRec* addr )
     {
         char* name = RELAY_NAME_DEFAULT;
         XP_MEMCPY( addr->u.ip_relay.hostName, name, XP_STRLEN(name)+1 );
+        char* room = RELAY_ROOM_DEFAULT;
+        XP_MEMCPY( addr->u.ip_relay.invite, room, XP_STRLEN(room)+1 );
     }
-    addr->u.ip_relay.invite[0] = '\0';
 #elif defined PLATFORM_PALM
     /* default values; default is still IR where there's a choice, at least on
        Palm... */
diff --git a/xwords4/common/comtypes.h b/xwords4/common/comtypes.h
index 76bbf1b74..9f60edfbf 100644
--- a/xwords4/common/comtypes.h
+++ b/xwords4/common/comtypes.h
@@ -168,6 +168,9 @@ typedef struct CommonPrefs {
 #ifndef RELAY_NAME_DEFAULT
 # define RELAY_NAME_DEFAULT "eehouse.org"
 #endif
+#ifndef RELAY_ROOM_DEFAULT
+# define RELAY_ROOM_DEFAULT "Room 1"
+#endif
 
 #ifdef MEM_DEBUG
 # define XP_MALLOC(pool,nbytes) \